Hope for 2012!

This has been quite a hard year for a lot of people, including myself. There have been a lot of mistakes made this year and a lot of suffering that followed from the mistakes I made. But throughout my entire ordeal, I thank God that he was always there for me; that my suffering was for a reason. I realize now that I have learned a lot as a result of the events that took place this year. I have learned that there are better things in life to worry about than the small things that we allow to control our lives. The addictions, the hate, and unforgiveness are just some of the things which keep us from having a good relationship with our God. This year I have learned that I cannot do it all by myself, that I have to give my all to my Lord and Savior....That without him, I am nothing.

I challenge you as the year ends to trim all the unnecessary fat from the chicken (that is life). The chicken can still taste good without all the fat (drama) attached to it. You deserve a much more fulfilling life than what you are settling for at this moment. I want to give hope to all those who don't have any. God loves you and God knows that this life is not easy, but keep trusting in him and you will see his glory manifest in your life. I hope you had a much rested holiday season and I wish you a Happy, Glorious, and Successful 2012!

The Future of the Death Penalty in America

The Future of the Death Penalty in America

Spend money to use MY money...WHAT??????

Can you believe these money-hungry demons? This is all they do. They continue to come up with ridiculous rules that could put their businesses in jeopardy. BANK OF AMERICA.....You know, I thought out of all the banks in this country, BOA was the only large bank that I could trust. Apparently not!!!! Starting 2012, BOA will charge their customers $5 a month to use their debit cards. REALLY???? Are they Serious???? Talk about not giving a hoot about your customers! So basically to summarize the story, BOA will be charging you $60 a year to spend your own money. And before you even think about going to that next popular bank, all the other major banks will be doing it as well.

Flee, I tell you. Leave these arrogant jerks and give your business to smaller local banks or credit unions. The BOA's, the Suntrust's, and the Wachovia's don't deserve your business. Just flee while you still can, because this is just ridiculous and unacceptable "business" behavior. I myself am making plans so that I will be in a credit union starting 2012, because now I know that BOA isn't any different from the rest of those money-hungry jerks. One lesson that I have learned from this ordeal is that it is usually the smaller banks and businesses who have better customer service than the big jerks. Be careful with who you entrust your money to. And for those who are under these major banks, act now while you still have time!

Frances writes off Tanzania's $56.2 million debt!

Now, anyone who has any knowledge of history knows that the Western Superpowers gained their wealth off the backs of African labor and resources. In some ways, it is still as true today as it was 100 years ago. So why is it that pimp organizations like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank continue to harrass our African countries with the so-called debt that we owe to them and all the things we have to sacrifice as a people to make sure that they get paid...for something that they basically stole from us and sold it back to us in our vulnerable state? Well for one, certain superpowers would rather continue to exert their will and power on our continent by holding this so-called debt against us. However, this is now not the reality for France. Note that in the past, the Netherlands has also taken this same step. In the latest news article by http://www.ippmedia.com/, France recently wrote off Tanzania's remaining Tsh. 92 billion debt to France, which is the equivallent of USD $56.2 million. I really commend them for doing this one selfless act, and I recognize the good that they've decided to do in the midst of power-hungry and greedy superpowers. That is something that deserves much kudos in my book.

I am riding the bus!

Times are hard out here. Because I was not given enough financial aid for the academic year 2011-2012, I was unable to live on campus as I've always done before. So this semester, I am a commuter student and let me tell you how hard and annoying it is. The metrobus only runs once an hour going to Bowie State University from the New Carrolton Station. What to do? Well for one, my first course of the day which I take 4 days a week (OMG) starts at 11am. However, I have to be out of the house by 8:30am just to be able to get to my 11am class on time. I know, that really sucks. In addition to that, I have two evening courses this semester which both start at 4:55pm and end at 7:30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Imagine the stress when you get to New Carrolton Station and realize that all the buses have stopped running for the day, then you have to walk 3 miles home. Well, this is my reality for this Fall of 2011.

I am still thankful to the good Lord that there are people in my life who have helped me out a lot in terms of my finances, and I know that in all the suffering one goes through, there is always good that will come out of it because God never allows his children to suffer in vain. I praise him in the midst. If you are a college student like me, I wish you an excellent academic year with all the success. Stay strong, because the times are changing and people are becoming more and more cold each day. Until next time, be on the lookout for my occassional blogs every now and then. Because my studies take up the bulk of my time, I will minimize my posts for this season. May God Bless You and stay strong!

TOP 10 MYTHS ABOUT INTROVERTS!

For most of you who might have not known, I am an Introvert. So when I came across this informative blog, I had to re-blog it. Well, I guess there's a first time for everything. So if you are an Introvert or you have a friend, brother, sister, or spouse who is an introvert, you HAVE TO READ THIS! It is very informative and it aims at reducing ignorance when an extrovert is just getting to know an introvert. I was so excited when I saw this because this was what I had been waiting for...for years. People often misunderstood me and this right here is something that brings joy to my soul. hahaha. It's about time!


TOP TEN MYTHS ABOUT INTROVERTS

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

(Source: carlkingcreative.com)

The Essence of the Dala-Dala

Now what is the Dala-Dala? Daladalas are basically commuter buses used to transport millions of people every single day, especially in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania. Even though I was born and partially-raised in Dar, I never had to get on the daladala before. There was always somebody in my family with a car. A few weeks ago, I got on the daladala for the very first time in my life. It was actually fun. But when I was going to the Saba-Saba Convention the a few days later, I realized just how irritating and uncomfortable it can get on these mini-buses.

Conductors deciding that they are going to cram 50 people into basically a mini-bus is just not cool...at all! I was very upset and I couldn't believe what people would do for money. I thought to myself that this practice was very dangerous. Looking around me while holding onto the handles in the ceiling of the bus, I could not believe it when I saw a 5 year-old girl literally getting squished between grown men and women. And the worst thing about it is that she was standing up, while grown people were sitting down. These practices are unsafe and things should be done to change the conditions of the poor. Because the reality is that most of the people who ride daladalas cannot afford to own private motor vehicles. However, they still deserve to have better and safer travelling conditions.

Now, don't get me wrong. Riding the daladala is fun...just as long as you don't have to stand and be squished by 50 people. I've had many interesting conversations in the few times that I have used daladalas to get around town. It is seriously the most efficient way of getting around town...and the cheapest. So if you ever get the wonderful opportunity to visit Dar, don't be too "uppity" to ride the daladala. Because you never know.....your next best friend might just be a person you met on the daladala.